


You make it better

by hudyjale



Category: Dead To Me (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Pre-Canon, set in 2x09
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:43:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24425221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hudyjale/pseuds/hudyjale
Summary: How did she do it? How she always made it better? - Set in 2x09, kind of spoilery [ONE SHOT]
Relationships: Judy Hale & Jen Harding, Judy Hale/Jen Harding
Comments: 4
Kudos: 88





	You make it better

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been obsessed with this show lately and thought about giving writing a fic about it a show. I don't know if I have quite captured the essence of characters, cuz again it's the first time I write about them and I haven't been watching the show for that long, but I truly hope I have and you feel it authentic and it makes sense.
> 
> This is set in the 2x09 time-space but without all the things about Charlie's pictures and confessions. It's just a fluffy piece that sells just how a sucker I'm for Judy Hale.
> 
> So, I just hope you like it and I would love to hear your opinion on it or any tips you'd like to give me :) Thanks for reading.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story nor I take profit from it.

"What can I do to make it up to you? Do you want to go to the arcade?"

"No, but maybe when Judy gets home, she can come up to my room?"

x

Jen was sitting next to her kitchen counter with her usual glass of wine and the newly opened bottle next to it. The house was so unusually quiet for that time of the evening, the kids were in their rooms, each of them mad at her for different reasons; Charlie knew that she was hiding something and Henry was mad because she had lied to him about the bird's death.

"God, what a fucking disaster" she let out softly as she gulped the remaining wine in her glass. She wished it would just numb all her feelings, she could really use a break from feeling like such a fuck up.

"Hey" Judy said as she opened the glass door, entering the kitchen from the backyard. She left her bag and jacket on the sofa and made her way towards Jen. She could see it in her face that she was having a bad moment. Even though the blonde had always been good at masking her feelings and not showing her vulnerability, with Judy it was different. Jen knew that she could let her mask down and Judy had learned to read thought it with just taking a look at her.

"Bad day, huh?" she added pointing to the empty glass and the half-full wine bottle.

"Fucking horrible" Jen replayed as she started to fill up her glass again and then the other one for the brunette.

"Wanna talk about it?" Judy asked resting her hand on top of Jen's and giving it a little squeeze as she always did to reassure her. The blonde just shrugged and bobbed her head softly, turning down the invitation to discuss what had happened today. "Drink about it, maybe?" the brunette proposed again. She would have given anything to hug the older woman at that moment, but she knew that she wasn't that comfortable about physical contact, even though lately she had been more open about it, and even starting it herself.

"You bet" she replayed, returning her attention to the glass.  
Jen wondered how Judy did it. How come she always managed to make her feel warm inside? Her mere presence made her feel more at ease as if having to deal with all the shit that had come upon her was easier with her by her side; even though Judy had been the cause of some of those problems.

"The kids are asleep?" Judy asked realizing that it was not that late actually. Usually, they would be around the kitchen grabbing some snacks, finishing their homework, or watching TV in the living room while she and Jen tied up the kitchen.

"No, not yet. But they didn't want to have dinner with me." Judy put the pieces together and realized what had made the other women upset that night. She knew that Jen didn't felt confident about motherhood, mostly because that's what others had made her think, that she wasn't good at it. Lorna, Ted, and even some people at school would make comments about how she dealt with situations regarding her kids. She definitely loved them more than anything in the world but work didn't leave her enough time to bond with them as much as she would like.

"I have an idea," the brunette said as she took both of Jen's hands, moving her to get her up from the stool she was sitting. "why don't you check up on them to see if they're asleep while I move this party upstairs so we can watch facts of life while drinking wine?"

A shy smile formed in Jen's face at the sound of the proposal. She loved that little micro-climate they had managed to create over the months were they would just share a bed, watch tv, and tried to forget about all the fucking problems that were in their life. Sometimes they managed to and sometimes they would just end up crying in each other's arms, but, strangely, it always felt like peace, like home.

"You sure know how to throw a pity-party" she replayed earning a silly smirk from the brunette. "But first you should go to Henry's room. He wanted to see you"

x

They grabbed their glasses, the bottle of wine that was already opened and a new one, and, of course, Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies and made their way upstairs. They left the things in the bedroom and went to check on the boys. Jen made her way to Charlie's room while Judy went to Henry's.

She knocked on the door softly even though it was already opened. Henry was sitting in his bed with the wood bird that she had bought him for his baptism in his hands.

"Hey little one," she said softly as she approached to his bed and sat on the edge of it." your mom told me you wanted to see me"

"Yeah," he said as he lifted his head to look at Judy. "I'm upset" he added as he lowered his gaze again to the bird in his hands. It made Judy's heart clench a bit to hear him like that.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she tittle her head to her side to try to get a better look at his little face as if to let him know that he could open up with her.

"Shandy killed my bird" he stated easily.

"Oh." Judy let out as her brain made some kind of weird parallelism between that statement and what had happened with Ted, and then with Steve. "Well, I'm sure she's sorry about it."

"She is, and I forgive her" god, she wished it would be so easy in the adult's word to that. "But she lied to me. And mom too."

"Your mom?" Judy now didn't quite get what Henry was talking about. What did Jen have to do with that?

"Yes," he said as he snuggled closer to the brunette, letting her know that he would like a hug. Judy placed her arms around him just as Jen did with her; one arm across his chest and the other one on his shoulder, keeping him close. "When Shandy told her the truth she told her to lie me about it." he looked up at her with those big blue eyes hoping she could explain it to him "Why would she do that?"

"Look honey" she started. How could she explain to a 10-year-old all the things that people do for love and end up fucking shit up? All the lying and hiding stuff from other people just to protect them and actually causing more harm? She could even replay in her head the night she had confessed to Jen the truth about Ted as a perfect example.  
"Sometimes we say things or hide others because we believe that we are protecting those who we love..."

Jen, who had left Charlie's room, was now leaning against the wall outside Henry's room. She didn't mean to pry on their talk, but she wanted to know how to make it better with her son, so she decided to listen to them.

"But actually, we are just delaying their pain and even making it worse. Because when we trust someone we wait for them to tell us the truth. And I get that you are angry at your mom because she lied, but she did out of love." Judy gently lifted Henry's head so he was looking to her. "She did it to protect you. Everything she does is to protect you and your brother. You know that, right?" The kid just nodded and buried his face again into Judy's embrace.

After a few minutes of silence, Judy realized that the little boy was falling asleep in her arms.

"Hey, you're falling asleep buddy. Do you want me to tuck you in?" she asked him almost as a whisper not to startle him.

"Yes, but you have to wait 'till I'm asleep." he replayed as he started to move towards the upper part of the bed so Judy could work the blankets around him.

"All the way asleep. I know" she finished the sentence. She knew that quote by heart of all the times his mother had said it to her on the phone.

The woman turned on the night light and sat again next to Henry. He was almost fully asleep when he turned around to her.

"Would you tell mom that I'm not mad at her anymore?"

She smiled fondly at the kid. " I would, but I think she would like to hear it from you tomorrow."

"Ok." he said with his eyes already close. He opened them again just briefly to add "I love you."

The woman had to hold back tears as she was struck by Henry's words. She was just so glad of the bond they were building over the last months and was so grateful that Jen had given her the opportunity to experience what motherhood felt like.

"Me too sweetie. Me too".

x

After ten minutes or so, Judy was sure that the kid was fully asleep. She left Henry's room and headed to the principal bedroom, where Jen was. She was lying on the bed already changed into some more comfortable clothes. The TV was on at channel 391 but the blonde wasn't paying much attention to it.

Judy sat on her spot on the bed and grabbed the box of cookies that was left on the nightstand. She held it opened to Jen and touched her arm with it "A cookie for your thoughts"

Jen came back to the present from the abstract of her mind. She looked at the woman on the bed next to her almost in awe. Jen had started to notice herself more often than not thinking about how beautiful she was. But not only physically; that was a more than a fucking obvious thing; but as a person also. Sure she was troubled but she was moved by good intentions, and always saw the good things in people, even in her.

"How do you do it?" she asked almost not realizing that she was saying it out loud.

"Hmm. What?"

"This." Jen gesture with her hands, doing a big circle in the air. "Making people feel better"

"I-" Judy stopped. Did she really do that? Was that the image that Jen had about her? "I don't think I do that."

"Oh Jesus, Jude. Really? You're like a fucking live-action snow-white, don't you know that?" Jen almost felt angry at her for not realizing how actually charming she could be.

"That's how you see me?" she asked, almost in disbelief of the other woman's words.

"Yeah," Jen replayed, allowing herself to show her soft side just for a little time. "You always have a kind word to say or a detail towards the rest." She stopped and looked at Judy right in those beautiful brown eyes. Something inside her urged to lean in, to close the distance between them. What if? she thought briefly but brushed off the thought. Not now, not yet.

"You make it better. You make me better, even when we are surrounded by chaos and shit."

Judy looked down trying to keep her emotions together as her mind played all the moments that she swore herself that she would be kinder than what life had been to her.  
"I just do what I wish I had had" she confessed. She was nice and caring because she just knew who shitty it was not to have anyone in her life that cared about her.

Jen let her thumb caress the brunette's cheek, making her look up again. She felt as if her chest was going to explode from all the mixed feelings.

"I'm so lucky for having you in my life." she said as she opened her arms for Judy, who fell automatically in the embrace.

"Me too" she replayed inside the perfect fit of Jen's arms.

"Jen" the brunette broke the silence they had fallen into.

"Hmm" she mumbled back

"If I'm snow white, that means that you are grumpy?" she asked, allowing a silly grin to appear on her face.

"Fuck you, Judy." the blonde said as she suppressed a laugh. Jen knew that somehow she would be alright; they would be alright. At least while she had Judy in her arms.


End file.
